Toe injury rules Paula Radcliffe out of Flora London Marathon

Paula Radcliffe has been forced to pull out of this year’s Flora London Marathon with a toe tendon injury, just five months before her bid to win gold at the Olympic Games in Beijing.
 
The world marathon record holder, who was aiming to win her fourth Flora London Marathon title on Sunday 13th April, sustained the injury to her right  toe while altitude training at her base in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
 
“I am desperately disappointed that I have to pull out of this year’s race,” said Radcliffe, who was Flora London Marathon champion in 2002, 2003 and 2005. “I love running in London and this race would have been the perfect test for me before the Olympic Games.
 
“But in marathon training there are no short cuts and there is simply not enough time to be in the shape I want to be in to run well in London. Now I must concentrate on being as well prepared as possible for Beijing.”
 
While the 2005 world champion admits the injury is a blow to her plans she describes it as “minor”, and still believes she can be in excellent condition for the Olympic marathon on 17 August.
 
Commenting on Radcliffe’s withdrawal from this year’s race, Flora London Marathon race director David Bedford said: “Of course, it is a major blow to lose Paula from this year’s race but we understand that her priority in 2008 is to be in peak condition for the Olympic Games and we wish her all the best for a speedy return to full fitness.
 
“Even without Paula we will still have a very strong international women’s field on 13 April and I am sure the race will be as exciting as ever.”
 
The women’s line-up includes the World Marathon Majors champion Gete Wami of Ethiopia, the reigning Chicago champion and Ethiopian record holder Berhane Adere, Romania’s record holder Constantina Tomescu-Dita, and the veteran Russian Svetlana Zakharova.
 
In Wami, Tomescu-Dita and the Kenyan Selina Kosgei, this year’s race includes the runners who finished second, third and fourth respectively in the 2007 Flora London Marathon. No fewer than four of the elite line-up have run quicker than 2 hours 22 minutes and seven have run a marathon faster than 2:25.
 
There is still considerable British interest too in the battle between Hayley Haining and Liz Yelling for a place in the Great Britain Olympic marathon team. The two are separated by just one second on their best marathon times.

The following is a full list of entrants for the elite women’s race and their personal best times:

Berhane Adhere     ETH     2:20:42
Constantina Tomescu-Dita     ROM      2:21:30
Svetlana Zakharova     RUS      2:21:31
Gete Wami     ETH     2:21:34
Benita Johnson     AUS      2:22:36
Selina Kosgei     KEN      2:23:22
Irina Mikitenko     GER     2:24:51
Ait Salem Souad     ALG     2:25:08
Irina Permitina     RUS      2:26:51
Emily Kimuria     KEN     2:28:10
Silvia Skvortsova     RUS     2:27:07
Hayley Haining     GBR     2:30:43
Liz Yelling     GBR      2:30:44
Adriana Pirtea     ROM      2:33:52
Everline Kimwei     KEN      Debut
Lisa Weightman     AUS      Debut